In order to better understand the invention and necessities leading thereto, a brief commentary and some historical background will be helpful.
As long as Plato, who said: "Let early education be a sort of amusement, you will then better discover the natural bent.", teachers have been seeking more enjoyable means and methods to inspire the learner to further exploration and self-discovery of subject matter.
How does one capture the thrill of learning? Surely its capture is critical. With it the sublime and impossible come into reach, without it man is capable only of mundane and routine.
Tragically, too many children never know that thrill of learning because of an introduction to learning that stifled their creative seeking and the satisfaction of self discovery. For fear of consequences of being wrong, they built protective shells around themselves to shield them from failure and unhappiness, the heartaches that come from their first faltering explorations into the unknown, and meeting with failure and embarrassment, all embarrassment that deepens with each successive failure, and negatively shapes their futures.
To ignite the spark of learning is an eternal purpose. Unfortunately, too many teachers depend entirely on prescribed methodology and materials and scrupulously follow guides and rote learning. Therefore, it is essential that materials and methods be available that will help them ignite this spark by presenting patterns of learning that are programmed to satisfy the needs of such teachers and yet are sufficiently manipulative to encourage exploration and self-discovery, with self-correcting processes that being successful results: materials that will inspire creativity and imagination on the parts of both the teachers and the learners.
Carlyle has said: "A thought once awakened does not slumber." It is essential to awaken the thoughts of learners in successful understanding of basic patterns so that they build on firm foundations.
Jerome Brumer of Harvard, foremost behavioral scientist, has stated that "There is nothing that cannot be learned at any age if it is properly introduced."
The object of the present invention is basically to provide a tool consistent with that philosophy.
Barbel Inhelder, principal co-worker of Piaget, has shown that the "operative" aspect of knowledge is equally as important as the "figurative" aspect. To be able to physically arrange elements in an ordered sequence supports the memory. The "figurative" aspects of knowledge: perception, imitation and images need the support of "operative" schemes on which the element of comprehension--which is nearly always present in memory behavior--depends.
Some people learn better through their eyes; some through their ears; and some through their sense of touch.
The Haptic Sense has not been sufficiently utilized in teaching. In the early part of this century Dr. Maria Montesorri used some such techniques; however, they are just beginning to make an impact on modern learning in the early years. There still are very few "discovery-by-manipulation" techniques available for use above this elementary grades.
The psalmist reminds us that "At its beginning the body consists of one cell, by the time of birth it has two hundred billion cells." "The story of that growth," says I. R. Richards, "presents the best instance we know of the importance of sequence or serial order. What can happen depends throughout on what has happened, and most depends on the earliest stages. Let this be our image in trying now to reflect on the place of sequence in the growth, microhierachically conducted too, of a skill, or an art, of a concept in a mind."
It is the purpose of this invention to provide "operative" tools and methods applicable to a number of subject matters that will give the user the elements of comprehension: a basic understanding of the subject; a sequential pattern; reliable reinforcement; a self-corrective device; and a "discovery" technique.
Comprehension heightens when new concepts are introduced creatively, the learners become enjoyably involved, and opportunities are presented for successful self-correcting reinforcement.
The element of play or chance is a reliable agent for reinforcement. It adds an element of excitement to the monotony of repetition. It also stimulates the interest of the slower learner through the satisfaction of successful chance.
Since it has been established that success builds on success, it is essential to build a success pattern consistent with the ability of the learner. It is a prime objective of this invention that the user experience immediate feedback and success, and be encouraged to proceed successfully at his own pace from one step to the next.
This invention will acquaint the learner with a variety of related elements via simple step-by-step sequencing to be achieved through self-correcting reinforcement. Each new learned skill will be reinforced by a series of exercises and programs emphasizing similarities, differences and relatedness.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a psychological stimulus via an element of chance combined with skill so that at the stage of mastery of each successive skill the less adept or slower learner can experience the satisfaction of winning supplied by the element of chance.
It will not be attempted to set forth and delineate all the features and advantages of the invention here. The following description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will make them apparent. By utilization of the invention and the data presented, the observer will be led to an understanding of concepts concerning various disciplines.